


Breathe Deep

by Mercy_Run



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-31 00:31:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12120645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercy_Run/pseuds/Mercy_Run
Summary: Papyrus and Sans wear the masks and play the part in public, but behind closed doors is another matter entirely.





	Breathe Deep

**Author's Note:**

> For Jellyfishleggs during my 500 Follower Celebration of olden days. XD
> 
> NSFW Blog: mercy-run.tumblr.com

It was not common knowledge that the skeleton brothers actually truly cared for one another. In a 'kill or be killed' world, love was the ultimate weakness. It painted a clear target on just how to manipulate a monster if their soul's desire was exposed for all to see.

Other than Undyne, who was the closest that Papyrus could ever come to having a 'friend' and her own lover, Alphys; no one knew that the brothers acted out a deliberate charade. Papyrus had never wanted to hurt his older brother. In fact, what he wished for most was that Sans be forever safe.

The tall skeleton stood outside of Sans' room, ruby eye-lights glowing in the dark. Worry simmered in his soul as he listened for any signs of distress.

Sans always had trouble sleeping.

Papyrus had never needed much sleep.

So in an odd way, their schedules complimented each other. Though, he wished there was no need for it.

The smaller skeleton was always a tense mess when in public and when they finally were able to drop the act, be safe in their shared home; all of the anxiety took the form of violent nightmares and panic attacks.

Papyrus had wanted Sans to sleep in his bed but the smaller monster was frightened that he would hurt the other unintentionally.

Which created this nightly ritual that the tall skeleton kept.

Sans still wasn't aware that he stood vigil outside of his sibling's room.

As if brought to a head because of Papyrus' swirling emotions, the faintest of whimpers began in the room. The skeleton clenched his fangs together, willing himself not to move as the whimpers escalated into sobs.

He couldn't...not just yet...

Sans screamed and his hands balled up into fists as he visibly shook with effort not to rush in the room with his brother.

His small brother may be a 1 HP monster, but his magic was a force to be reckoned with. He was never fully there when waking from one of these nightmares.

Papyrus counted off a minute's time after Sans' sobbing grew quiet before he rapped lightly on his brother's door.

"Sans, may I enter?" His raspy voice was lowered from it's usual volume so as to not startle the distressed skeleton. A soft noise of affirmation had him opening the door slowly and his sharp gaze gentled at the sight of his sibling.

Sans was pressed tightly into the corner his bed was backed against, red magic welling over his empty eye sockets as his bones rattled forcefully in his fear. Papyrus shut the door with a soft click.

"b-boss-?"

His soul throbbed painfully.

"No, Sans. We're home. We're safe." He reassured from his place just within the room.

The other monster's teary eye sockets glanced about the room listlessly before finally, finally those red eye-lights quivered into existence.

"p-papyrus!" The small skeleton choked out and his brother reached out for him, bony hands trembling.

The taller skeleton was across the room in two strides, pulling Sans into a tight embrace now that he had permission.

Papyrus said nothing as Sans fell apart in his arms, stroking the other's skull and pressing his sharp teeth against the other's temple gently. He never asked what the nightmares were about anymore, it just made calming his brother down even more difficult.

And with a world like theirs...there was more than enough content to fuel nightmares.

He shushed Sans softly, phalanges running slowly up and down the other monster's small spine to sooth him.

This had been a horrible one.

"paps-" His older brother sobbed, finally leaning back to look up at his face.

Papyrus hummed to show he was listening, crimson eye-lights pulsing in concern.

Sans hesitated.

...Was he going to talk about his nightmare?

"i-i'm tired, bro," the other skeleton finally murmured quietly and the rough skeleton tried not to let the disappointment sink into his soul. Sans would tell him on his own time. There were still things that had happened in their waking hours that had been placed under the 'we don't speak of this' category.

Some things were painful to even remember, much less speak about.

"Do you want to go back to sleep, brother?" The tall skeleton questioned and Sans immediately tensed, anxious eye-lights darting up to his face.

"n-no..." Sans hesitated, clearly wrestling with something before caving, "paps- could you just stay?"

Papyrus blinked.

'Just stay' had been something he had thought up nearly a year ago when these nightmares had gotten so awful. It was a code word when things were too much but Sans couldn't bear for Papyrus to leave.

Some nights Sans seemed to not want him out of his sight.

'Just stay' didn't mean sleep beside him, or that he wanted sex.

It was meant for when his small brother merely wanted him near, in different degrees. No strings, no expectations.

"Very well, Sans." He murmured, settling into the magic slick bed without complaint. Papyrus relaxed, watching his sibling attentively. Sans' eyes flickered over his face and the taller skeleton wondered just what the other would do to wipe the shadows of the nightmare from his mind.

The other's eye-lights rested on his red scarf, ever present since his brother had gifted him it.

Small phalanges reached forward and gingerly moved the ruby fabric, bearing his neck. The air brushing against the normally covered bone was unfamiliar and made him expel a breath as he watched his brother with avid attention.  
Sans' expression softened from his anxiety as he brushed his thumb across Papyrus' throat before leaning forward and pressing his fangs against it.

The younger brother's ruined eye socket shut at the sensation. Sans didn't lick or bite at his throat, merely pressing lingering and chaste skeleton kisses against it. For some reason, it was more intimate than anything else...

"paps..." Sans murmured against the bone, causing him to shudder.

"What do you want me to do, brother?"

"please touch me."

The taller skeleton nodded as Sans finally pulled away from peppering his neck with kisses. He swapped their positions, hovering over his small sibling on the bed. Hooking his distal phalanges underneath the smaller skeleton's red turtleneck, Papyrus pushed it up to reveal the other's small rib cage-

A violent red gash across the delicate bones flashed across his vision and he tensed.

"paps?"

His eye lights jerked up to Sans' face before darting back down to the-

Normal vision of his brother's brittle rib cage.

Nothing was there...

What had that been?

"what's wrong?" Sans' timid voice registered through his confusion before the scarred skeleton shook his head, smiling at his sibling.

"Nothing, Sans," he breathed before pressing his teeth gently to the skeleton's sternum; pushing what must have been a hallucination from his mind. The smaller skeleton let out a shaky breath before melting into Papyrus' careful attention to each chipped rib.

Like Sans, Papyrus didn't lick or bite the bone. He merely placed chaste kisses, slow and gentle with his attention. Thorough enough to bring tears to Sans' sockets. His hands caressed the other's marred radius, passing soothingly over the bone.

"can you tell me it, please?" His brother begged quietly.

His eye lights flickered up to Sans' expression and softened, resting his sharp teeth over the glow of his brother's soul.

"I love you, Sans." He whispered. A taboo in this world.

His brother shuddered at his words.

"...again?"

A gentle smile tugged at the taller skeleton's teeth.

"I love you so much, brother."

Sans sobbed and wrapped his arms around his skull, pulling him down flush with his exposed rib cage.

He knew what the other skeleton needed.

"I adore you, Sans. More than anything or anyone in this fucked up world." He vowed.

"papyrus..."

"Everything outside of this house is a lie to protect both of us. What I am like now. What I say right now. That is the truth. That is what is real. And no one can change how damn much I love you."

The remaining tension faded from his smaller brother's body and he lifted his head in time to see Sans smiling.

Truly smiling.

He was beautiful. He was Papyrus' treasure. His entire universe.

And when they put on their act for the entire underground when they left this house, both brother's would be secure and content with the knowledge of what was true and unshakable.

Their love for one another.


End file.
